Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Alan Chartock, President
and CEO of WAMC/Northeast
Public Radio in Albany, has been on the front lines of public media since 1981.

Chartock is known as an opinionated fellow with a keen eye for political
trends.

He recently released his Fearless Predictions for 2017 in a letter to
WAMC members [link].

Chartock is not
optimistic about continued funding for CPB.He predicts:

The new President will submit
a budget that eliminates all radio funding for the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting. That will mean about $400,000 dollars out of the WAMC budget.

Chartock foresees a
“perfect political storm” that may cut or eliminate a large number of
government programs. Republican legislators are now compiling their “bucket
list” of changes they want to happen. Federal funding for CPB is likely to be
on the dis list.

CHARTOCK’S PREDICTIONS

Chartock cautions
his readers that his predictions are things he doesn’t want to happen, things
he wants to happen and things that will happen. It is left to the reader to
decide which is the case for each of his predictions.

Below is the
complete list. I have edited slightly Chartock’s verbiage for brevity and
clarity:

• Donald Trump will be impeached by the
House of Representatives and convicted in the Senate.

The grounds will be
conclusive evidence of collusions with the Russians to fix the elections. His
fate will be sealed because of the leadership in the Senate of six Republicans
led by John McCain and Lindsay Graham. The senators will be honored as super
patriots.

• WAMC will receive more contributions than
ever before in its history.

Donors will say, “We can’t afford NOT to do this. The future
of the country is dependent on the First Amendment. We can’t do without OUR
radio station.”

• WAMC will lead a charge when NPR raises
its rates.

Chartock says WAMC
can pay more but he is concerned about the
fate of all those other little stations that won’t be able to cut it. NPR will have to learn to live within its
mean just as WAMC and every other station does.”

• A MAJOR foundation will decide it is time
to make awards to NPR stations around the country.

The foundation
President will say: This is where the
best work is being done and we have to support it. NPR brass will not be
pleased.

• Donald J. Trump will unleash a fierce
attack on the First Amendment.

Trump will use his
personal family resources to sue news organizations in spurious attacks about
media reporting. He will literally bankrupt many of the news organizations that
he attacks. The Washington Post will
win several Pulitzer Prizes. The New York
Times will win one.

• Mort Zuckerman will sell the New York
Daily News.

• The New York Post will cease publication.

Chartock also
includes several predictions that are deeply personal or appear to be local
Albany topics:

• I will receive more anti-Semitic threats.

• Two WAMC staff members will become parents
for the second time.

• Chartock will lay down the law to his
beloved staff members who smoke.

• WAMC will be offered a huge incentive to
move its operations to a suburban community.

However, Chartock
will advise against taking the multi million-dollar offer because “Our work is here where the rainbow really
shines.” Albany’s City government will become so concerned that WAMC will
move out of Albany they will name the Central Avenue Intersection with Quail
Street, “WAMC Square.”

LARRY MONROE, BELOVED
AUSTIN DJ, DIES SUDDENLY

Larry Monroe

For over three
decades Larry Monroe made Austin radio sing. Monroe was the voice of alt-country,
rockabilly and Americana music programs first at KUT and more recently KDRP.
Austin360.com reported [link] that Monroe was taken to the hospital Friday morning
(12/30/16) with respiratory problems. He died a short time later. He was 71.

Stewart Vanderwilt,
GM of KUT, praised Monroe for his work at both stations:

“He was, and will always be a part of KUT’s
music legacy. After 29 years at KUT, he extended his career and influence at
KDRP. We share our condolences with his longtime partner, close friends and
radio fans far and wide.”

He’s a legend, plain and
simple.

A private burial
service will take place in Hartford City, Indiana. A public memorial service in
Austin is being planned. Details have not yet been finalized.

Monroe created and
hosted programs such as Blue Monday, Segway City, Texas Radio, Phil Music
and Folkways. Audio of several of
Monroe’s programs is available at [link].